It has been revealed that after a costly new junction was installed in Yeovil, traffic and queues increased.

In an email, a highways boss has conceded that things have gotten worse since the new junction was constructed where the A30 Sherborne Road meets Lyde Road.

A mini-roundabout was originally converted into a signal-operated junction in early 2017, but there were delays and work was not fully completed until late 2017, with workers returning to the site multiple times.

Somerset County Council's Alyn Jones revealed that queue lengths have grown in an email to a Yeovil resident, and even tried to blame drivers for the increase in disruption.

Work at the site over-ran by several months in 2017

Mr Jones, who works as joint head of infastructure, wrote: "We are aware that traffic volumes have increased on the A30 in both directions as have the queue lengths.

"One of the issues with the junction, particularly at busy times, is that vehicles leave big gaps especially when the A30 is congested.

"This, combined with the issue of traffic stopping on the A30 to allow traffic out of St Michael's Avenue does not help this situation.

"When a large gap is left, the traffic signals assume that the end of the queue has been reached and move off elsewhere, in this case Lyde Road."

"We are aware that traffic volumes have increased on the A30 in both directions as have the queue lengths."

Mr Jones added: "Further amendments to the signals are programmed for implementation in the Autumn to help improve the situation and to maintain the green period when large gaps are left."

Somerset County Council was quick to respond to, and clarify, Mr Jones' comments.

A mini-roundabout on the A30 was originally converted into a signal-operated junction in 2017

A spokesman said: “There is no suggestion that the junction itself has increased traffic on the A30. We have seen an increase in traffic on the route but it’s hard to pinpoint why motorists choose particular routes.

“We continuously review the way signals are working and will make alterations to improve the performance where we can, as will be the case here.”

The junction was required as part of a legal agreement linked to the construction of new homes at the nearby Wyndham Park.

Before it was created, South Somerset District Council believed the junction would "improve the efficiency of the major network that crosses Yeovil to deal with current and future traffic".

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